Dextrophobia | Fear of Objects at the Right Side of the Body

(dek-strow-fow-be-ah)

What is Dextrophobia?

People who are afraid of objects specifically on their right side are said to have Dextrophobia. This fear springs from an obsessive-compulsive personality disorder. Sufferers will allow objects to exist on the left side of their personal space but not on their right and will, in extreme cases, rearrange their surroundings as much as they can to reflect this compulsive need.

Dextrophobia is considered a specific phobia and is the direct opposite of Levophobia (fear of objects to the left side of the body) and Sinistrophobia (fear of things at the left side or left-handed people).

Dextrophobics are at high risk for social anxiety as well, since their compulsive behaviors may become the subject of public ridicule.

The root word 'dextro' is Latin meaning 'to the right' and the word 'phobia' comes from the Greek word ‘phóbos’ meaning 'fear.'

Causes of Dextrophobia

Dextrophobia is a specific (or “isolated”) phobia, centered on non-social key factors. Isolated phobias tend to have some previous trauma (often in childhood and often physically injurious) as a root cause; a fear of bees may stem from an injury in childhood, for instance.

Upbringing can also play a role, such as parental warnings about a direct threat (such as “snakes can bite and kill you”) which is especially notable in cases where a threat is more imminent. (An allergy to bees or peanut butter, for instance, would naturally reinforce a real medical concern.)

It is thought that genetics and hereditary factors may play a role in specific phobias, especially those related to a danger of injury. (A primal “fight or flight” reflex may be more easily triggered in those with a genetic predisposition, for instance.)

By contrast, social phobias (like a fear of body odor or touch) are less well-understood, are driven by social anxiety, and are broadly labeled as “social anxiety disorder”.

In all kinds of phobias, external experiences and / or reports can further reinforce or develop the fear, such as seeing a family member or friend who is affected. In extreme cases, indirect exposures can be as remote as overhearing a reference in conversation, seeing something in the news, on TV, or in the movies.

Dextrophobia, like most phobias, stems from a subconscious overprotection mechanism, and as with many phobias can also be rooted in an unresolved emotional conflict.

The root of this fear is often an obsessive-compulsive (OCD) personality disorder.